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Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has pledged government support for businesses affected by a fire outbreak at the SPAR shopping complex in Calabar.
Otu, represented by his deputy, Peter Odey, made the commitment on Saturday when he visited the scene to assess the extent of the damage and commiserate with the affected traders and management.
He assured the victims that the state government would not abandon them, saying arrangements had commenced to assess the damage and determine their immediate needs.
The governor said the exact cause of the fire had not been established, although preliminary indications suggested a possible electrical fault. He stressed that investigations by the relevant authorities must be completed before a definitive conclusion could be reached.
Otu disclosed that the Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency had commenced the assessment of the incident.
He said the government would go beyond sympathising with the victims by providing support to help affected businesses recover and resume operations.
“Our objective is not just to come here, sympathise with the victims and leave. We want to see how government can support them to get back on their feet,” Otu said.
He also directed that the circumstances surrounding the incident be examined to identify gaps and prevent a recurrence.
The governor commended the Cross River State Fire Service for its prompt response, stressing the importance of investing in emergency-response institutions.
“When disaster strikes, every minute matters,” he said.
